Putting training aid and calibration device

Apparatus for objectively calibrating orientation of a putter to facilitate consistent putting strokes by a golfer, said putter having an axial shaft and a head having a sole and a face, the sole and shaft defining a lie angle and the face having a loft, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of first position-indicating indicia disposed along the putter shaft;
• a plurality of second position-indicating indicia disposed along an elongate axial calibration member supported generally parallel to and spaced above a generally planar putting surface;
• and
• said first and second plural position-indicating indicia are positioned and arranged such that placement of the shaft against the calibration member with the sole generally flat against the putting surface with and the face oriented with a generally neutral loft causes the first and second indicia to intersect at a calibration point corresponding to a neutral putter position;
• whereby the putter may be consistently re-positioned at the neutral position after each golf stroke by placing the shaft against the calibration member at the calibration point.

A method of practicing a putting stroke by a golfer using objective and repeatable putter position information during stroke setup, said putter having an axial shaft, a shaft head along a shaft end having a sole and a face, the face having a loft and the sole and shaft defining a lie angle, the method comprising:

• orienting the putter at a position such that the face has a predetermined loft;
• orienting the putter at a further position such that the sole is generally flat against a substantially planar putting surface;
• calibrating the oriented position of the putter by marking a calibrated point of alignment of first plural position-indicating indicia disposed along the shaft with second plural position-indicating indicia disposed along an axis generally parallel to, and spaced above, the putting surface;
• stroking the putter following calibrating;
• returning the putter to the oriented putter position after the stroke by aligning the identified first and second position-indicating indicia at the calibrated point;
• and
• repeating the stroking and returning steps.

Apparatus for objectively calibrating a putter position to facilitate practice of consistent putting strokes by a golfer, said putter having an axial shaft, a head at a shaft end having a sole and a face, the face having a loft and the sole and shaft defining a lie angle, the apparatus comprising:

• first means for demarcating a plurality of positions along the putter shaft;
• second means for demarcating a plurality of positions along an axis generally parallel to and spaced above a generally planar putting surface;
• and
• said first and second demarcating means being positioned and arranged such that intersection of the shaft and axis with the sole generally flat against the putting surface and the face oriented with a generally neutral loft causes alignment of at least one of each of the first and second demarcating means to objectively calibrate the putter at a repeatable neutral putter position.